Brooklyn’s National Sawdust Announces its Groundbreaking Third Season, Titled “Origins,” with a Focus on Multiculturalism and Feminism

Brooklyn’s National Sawdust Announces its Groundbreaking Third Season, Titled “Origins,” with a Focus on Multiculturalism and Feminism

BROOKLYN, NY, AUGUST 16, 2017 — National Sawdust(NS), the unparalleled artist-led incubator in Brooklyn’s Williamsburg neighborhood, announced today the theme of its third season: Origins.

Bringing its progressive values to the forefront, the non-profit assembles an extraordinary lineup of multicultural curators from six continents, whose programming celebrates diversity in culture through diversity in music. Continuing its investment in feminism, NS promotes and celebrates the achievements of women in the arts through its appointment of nine female curators and Artists-in-Residence, the commissioning and developing of operatic works by women, and its new initiative for female composers, the Hildegard Competition.

After opening its doors in October 2015, NS quickly became “an invaluable part of the new music scene” (New York Times), hailed for both its “world class sonics” (New York Music Daily) and its “engaged programming that links the music to broader social issues” (Time Out New York). NS continues to prove itself the unique and influential venue about which the Village Voice raved: “Nothing quite like it exists in New York City, or anywhere else in the world. … Williamsburg’s bright new diamond National Sawdust will change the way modern music is made.”

In total, the season contains more than 250 outstanding performances from National Sawdust curators, Artists-in-Residence, partners, and other revolutionary artists.

From Paola Prestini, Composer and National Sawdust Artistic Director:

“I’ve always believed that empowering the marginalized makes us all stronger,” Prestini explains. “With the Origins season, I’m channeling the National Sawdust mission – empowering high-level artistry, regardless of training, genre, or fame – through multicultural and feminist artists who tell their stories in their music. Ultimately, Origins is a radical sharing of culture. We hope that this cultural storytelling of the highest caliber will bring our divided country closer together.”

Curators and Residencies for Season 3

Pursuing the Origins theme, artists with roots in six continents will conceive programs featuring music based on their disparate backgrounds – both to spark reflection on the similarities of all musical roots and to illuminate the beauty only possible through cultural collaboration.

Highlights from this season’s National Sawdust curators include a multimedia project by Syrian clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, featuring masters of traditional Lebanese and Syrian instruments (Feb 1, May 31, June 28); a music series devoted to the Pan-Asian region, created and curated by Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Du Yun,titled “Velvet Revolution: Pan-Asian Sounding Festival” (March 9-11); a series dedicated to the first-generation immigrant experience from Sudanese-American multi-genre musician Ahmed Gallab, AKA Sinkane (dates TBA); a multi-day composer-performer duo series with the celebrated violinist Jennifer Koh (March 15, 31); a deep dive into Jewish tradition and anti-Semitism from Klezmer maverick David Krakauer (April 20); curation of indigenous music and performance by the Sioux multi-instrumentalist Tiokasin Ghosthorse (Oct 12); and a project directed by Guadeloupe-born curator, critic, and art historian Claire Tancons, examining African diasporic traditions in the West Indies (dates TBA). In addition, National Sawdust’s newly named December series Winterreise Nights will be curated by Canadian Inuk throat-singer Tanya Tagaq and cellist Jeffrey Zeigler (Dec 6-10).

National Sawdust will also continue its tradition of empowering artists to develop new work through its annual year-long residency program. Season 3’s Artists-in-Residence include contemporary classical groups International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Contemporaneous, and vocal ensemble Choral Chameleon; the migrant-composed Refugee Orchestra founded and led by conductor Lidiya Yankovskaya; the sensational Indian-British singer, composer, DJ, and instrumentalist Bishi;Ghanaian performance artist Jojo Abot; the Lithuanian-American performance artist Abraham Brody, whoexplores ritual and folklore; and the returning Cibo Matto co-founder Yuka Honda. National Sawdust also announces its first Designer-in-Residence, Fufan Zhang,who will create set designs for NS’s Opening Nights, the Winterreise Nights series, and the National Sawdust landmark festival, Spring Revolution. Beth Morrison Projects will host its inaugural “Next Generation” competition, which aims to foster young opera compositional talent (March 17), as well as its sixth annual Prototype Festival in January, while the protean singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Sxip Shirey performs multiple concerts during FERUS, a series held this January 11-16 showcasing spectacular multimedia collaborations and works-in-progress, including an eclectic use of sound objects and a collaboration with Choral Chameleon. Filmmaker and musicologist Murat Eyuboglu will continue his collaboration with NS Artistic Director Paola Prestini on a new documentary, The Amazon (working title), a follow-up to his critically acclaimed documentary, The Colorado.

As an artist-led organization, National Sawdust strengthens its partnerships this season with its original curators and Artists-in-Residence whose programming represents its forward-thinking DNA and who have worked with the non-profit since its first season. Advisory board chair Elena Park will continue curation of the NS+ Series, bringing thinkers from musical disciplines and beyond to National Sawdust. Also returning as curators are Zeigler, music producer Adam Abeshouse, Open G Records founder Chris Grymes, jazz vocalist Theo Bleckmann, countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo, jazz vocalist Magos Herrera, and performance artist Helga Davis,allvisionary artists who will continue to contribute to National Sawdust’s programming throughout the season.

Season-Openers: Film Screening and Master Improvisers

National Sawdust’s season-opening program will span two evenings, celebrating two points of emphasis this season: achievements in female composition and outstanding multicultural artistry. On September 22, in a nod to the 100th birthday of U.S. President and A Nation of Immigrants author John F. Kennedy, Wordless Music Orchestra and National Sawdust co-present a film screening of JACKIE with exhilarating live score accompaniment by the Wordless Music Orchestra. The evening highlights composer Mica Levi, known as Micachu, whose Academy Award nomination for composing the film’s soundtrack marked the first nomination of a female composer in 20 years. Directed by Pablo Larraín and written by Noah Oppenheim, JACKIE is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, as seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (Natalie Portman). JACKIE places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband’s assassination.

On September 23, in a double-header evening supported in part by the Garcia Family Foundation, audience members embark on a staged excursion through the indigenous music of the Origins season to come, guided in part by National Sawdust resident artists and curators: Lithuanian-American guitarist Abraham Brody, Pulitzer-winning Chinese multi-instrumentalist Du Yun and her experimental ensemble Ok Miss, and the emerging mavericks of Russian Renaissance, winners of the prestigious 2017 M Prize. Later, the night culminates in an exhilarating selection of music from percussionist Stéphane San Juan, aided by a slew of master improvisers, including cellist Jeffrey Zeigler, Grammy Award-winning trumpeter Michael Leonhart, jazz vocalist Magos Herrera,Brazilian percussionist Mauro Refosco, Brazilian pianist and accordionist Vitor Gonçalves, and other special guests.

Spring Revolution

After two successful iterations in Seasons 1 and 2, National Sawdust highlights Spring Revolution as the landmark festival of Season 3, emphasizing bold new visions from female creators during the entire month of March. Praised by the New Yorker as “addressing essential contemporary issues,” last year’s Spring Revolution boasted appearances by Russian protest group Pussy Riot, PUBLIQuartet cellist Amanda Gookin,and renowned composer Philip Glass.

This year, the Origins theme colors Spring Revolution, anchored by Origins Artist-in-Residence Du Yun’s “Velvet Revolution: Pan-Asian Sounding Festival,” a three-day sound exploration of the Pan-Asian region including performances and music by Du Yun, flute maven Claire Chase, interdisciplinary composer/performer Pauchi Sasaki, and other special guests (March 9-11). Amazonian culture is explored and celebrated in a two-evening showcase of contemporary Brazilian music, led by two incredible Brazilian artists: composer Felipe Lara and percussionist Stéphane San Juan (March 2-3). Lara will curate an evening of contemporary chamber music by seven prominent Brazilian composers while San Juan will curate several groups representing varied cultural traditions that span the course of the Amazon River. Artist-in-Residence Murat Eyuboglu, filmmaker of the critically acclaimed film The Colorado, will help contextualize the works as he begins work on his next river documentary, The Amazon (working title). The outstanding violinist Jennifer Koh also returns to NS in a series titled “Limitless: On Stage Together,” a two-day span of duo performances that aims to bridge the gap between performer and composer (March 15, 31). The works, including numerous world premieres, will be performed by the composers themselves together with Koh. Commissions for both evenings are by non-profit artist group arco collaborative.

Season 3’s Series

In Season 3, the Origins theme extends into five series of music under specific umbrellas: four successes from previous years – Winterreise Nights, FERUS, Summer Labs, and John Zorn’s Stone Commissioning Series – as well as the new Irish Origins Series. A two-day wealth of Irish musical talent from artists and composers, Irish Origins Series features the “pyrotechnic young talents” This is How we Fly (Celtic Connections), who will open the weekend with their much anticipated second album release, fusing Traditional Irish music, Swedish folk, Jazz and percussive dance. Isabelle O’Connell performs a curated program of renowned living composers from Ireland on piano and electronics. Finally, Irish vocalist Iarla Ó Lionáird and NS Group-in-Residence Contemporaneous partner for the first time to perform composer Donnacha Dennehy’s “Grá agus Bás,” and the reimagined sean-nós songs of composer Dan Trueman, whose arrangements, created from the oldest origins of Irish music, bring to the stage a living tradition in a modern light.

Winterreise Nights will span four events curated by American cellist Jeffrey Zeigler and Canadian Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq (Dec 6-10). This year’s Winterreise Nights series also hosts a trio between Zeigler, Tagaq, and a to-be-announced musician with roots in one of the seven countries listed in the Trump Administration’s travel ban. Tagaq presents the Apache violinist and film composer Laura Ortman; director Kevin Newbury presents his latest music-theatre piece, Dear Edvard; and NS hosts a screening + live soundtrack of We Breathe Again, a film exploring the hidden plight of Alaskan Natives by Marsh Chamberlain, Evon Peter, Enei Begaye Peter, and Ryan Jacobi with live score composed by Paola Prestini and performed by Zeigler, Tagaq, violinist Cornelius Dufallo, and percussionist Dave Cossin.

FERUS, in January, puts National Sawdust’s industry-leading technology at the service of politically topical and interdisciplinary performance themes from NS Artists-in-Residence, including the sensational Indian-British singer, composer, instrumentalist, and DJ Bishi; and the protean singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Sxip Shirey. Capping the season, National Sawdust renews its commitment to grassroots art through its third iteration of the Summer Labs, a series of showcases by local NYC artists who are selected by members of the NS Artistic Advisory Board to receive in-kind support from National Sawdust. Winners will receive workshop time on the National Sawdust stage and in-kind financial support, and will showcase their project to NS audiences throughout the summer of 2018.

Finally, National Sawdust continues throughout Season 3 to vigorously support the efforts of boundary-breaking composers through the second year-long iteration of its Stone Commissioning Series. Held the last Wednesday of every month, the Stone Commissioning Series will continue to feature musically revolutionary world premieres from artists that renowned composer John Zorn personally curates.

National Sawdust+

National Sawdust+ returns for a third season, bringing together artists and thinkers for stimulating, often unexpected, performance and conversation in the intimate space. Curated by Elena Park, NS+ features bold voices from the worlds of music, science, theater, film, art, gastronomy, and more. On Sunday, September 24, renowned astrophysicist and best-selling author Mario Livio takes part in a conversation about curiosity and creativity, following the release of his recent book, Why? What Makes Us Curious. Culinary devotees join forces on Thursday, September 28 to explore the four natural elements in Elements of Time + Taste, a night of inventive food, mixology, and music; musician/composers Magos Herrera, Yuka Honda (of Cibo Matto fame) and Oded Lev-Ari collaborate with Rider’s James Beard Award-winning chef Patrick Connolly and Allen Katz, the mixologist and local distiller at New York Distilling Company, to create a tantalizing experience for the ear and palate. In October, Wide Angle with Gene Smith: An evening with Sam Stephenson + The Paris Review (Oct 26) will offer an evening of readings, music, and film (by Jem Cohen), inspired by pioneering American photo-essayist W. Eugene Smith, whose beguiling life and legacy are explored in Stephenson’s new book, Gene Smith’s Sink. The expansive evening will feature music by composers including Sonny Clark and Hall Overton, performed by Orrin Evans and Eric Revis, as well as members of Wordless Music Orchestra.

From its inception, National Sawdust has taken an active role in supporting and celebrating the achievements of women composers, performers, curators, and public figures. Having completed a second season that included high-profile engagements with Pussy Riot and Amanda Gookin’s Forward Music Project, in Season 3 National Sawdust enlists 15 female composers and artists to contribute as curators, Artists-in-Residence, and commissioned creators, including Bishi, Jennifer Koh, Claire Tancons, and more. Further underscoring this ongoing commitment, National Sawdust will premiere its first ever call to female composers in the HildegardCompetition, judged by composers Angélica Negrón, Du Yun, and Paola Prestini. The winner will have her work premiered by the Refugee Orchestra, conducted by Lidiya Yankovskaya, at National Sawdust on a date to be announced. Funding for all endeavors to support women composers this season is thanks in part to a generous grant from the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

Classical Sundays

National Sawdust announces Classical Sundays, a series bringing excellent classical artistry to Williamsburg. Held on Sundays at 4pm, Classical Sundays will showcase the artists and ensembles who are moving the classical and contemporary classical music field forward in ways that align with National Sawdust’s experimental and artist-led DNA. The new series will present world premieres, with participants pushing the boundaries of what their instruments (or voices) can do, and/or engaging in unexpected collaborations across disciplines. Three Ensembles-in-Residence – International Contemporary Ensemble, Contemporaneous, and Choral Chameleon – will each present two to three concerts over the course of the season, in addition to their appearances with other acts.

Highlights of Classical Sundays include the premiere of Book of Dreams by David T. Little and David Adam Moore, a project developed in National Sawdust’s 2017 Summer Labs incubation series, performed by ICE and conducted by Steven Schick (Dec 17); two highlight programs from Choral Chameleon’s 10th anniversary celebration and season series, SPIRIT (Feb 2, 4) and MIND (June 10); and Contemporaneous’s Being No One, a commissioned immersive evening-length exploration of the self through music, movement, and architecture created by visionary Latvian composer Krists Auznieks (Feb 25).

Operas

Following up on Season 2’s commitment to fostering opera, National Sawdust will develop and premiere operas and operatic works-in-progress with a particular focus on women, both as composers and performers.

Continuing its work as an incubator, National Sawdust will develop and host two workshop presentations of operatic works by two female Artists-in-Residence: composer Anna Clyne and soprano Eve Gigliotti (May 3). EVA, a workshop presentation by Anna Clyne in collaboration with dramaturg Jocelyn Clarke, features a libretto by Clarke and Kitty McNamee drawn from the recently published diaries of visual artist Eva Hesse. Film Stills, starring Gigliotti and composed jointly by the all-star lineup of Missy Mazzoli, Nico Muhly, and Paola Prestini with a libretto by Royce Vavrek, pays homage to photographer Cindy Sherman’s iconic 1977 series “Untitled Film Stills,” described by the Museum of Modern Art as “an encyclopedic roster of stereotypical female roles inspired by 1950s and 1960s Hollywood, film noir, B movies, and European art-house films.” Film Stills will also be staged by the visionary young director R.B. Schlather.

In addition to its commissions, National Sawdust will host groundbreaking opera premieres in partnership with organizations around New York. Less than a month after the start of its season, NS begins Season 3’s opera works with the New York premiere of the opera Las cartas de Frida, Mexican composer Marcela Rodríguez’s setting of the texts of Mexican painter Frida Kahlo(Oct 19, 20), co-presented by Celebrate México Now. On January 28, NS hosts the world premiere of composer and Pulitzer Prize finalist Kate Soper’s operatic suite, Here Be Sirens, presented by New York’s genre-pushing opera company, Fresh Squeezed Opera. Finally, Brooklyn-based opera company Experiments in Opera will present And Here We Are, a 90-minute work scored for four vocal soloists, choir and mixed ensemble. The premiere production will be staged using an updated take on traditional Southeast Asian shadow puppetry, and will feature Mantra Percussion, with lighting design and shadow puppetry by visual artist Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew (May 6).

Our Heroes: Celebrating the 80th Birthdays of Joan Tower and John Corigliano

After celebrating the 80th birthday of famed minimalist composer and NS Artistic Advisory Board Member Philip Glass in Season 2, National Sawdust will feature two of its heroes this season: Grammy-winning composers Joan Tower and John Corigliano.

Lauded by the New Yorker as “one of the most successful woman composers of all time,” Joan Towercelebrates her 80th with a National Sawdust twist: curating not her own music, but the music she wants to hear. In a collaborative effort with NS Curator Chris Grymes, Tower will give the NS audience a rare glimpse into the musical influences that have shaped her illustrious career.

In collaboration with G. Schirmer Publishers, National Sawdust will also host and celebrate the 80th birthday of famed composer John Corigliano with a concert highlighting his vocal works, with “Mr. Tambourine Man” as the centerpiece (Feb 16). This celebration, exclusively at National Sawdust, features Contemporaneous, American pianist Molly Morkoski, and soprano Lindsay Kesselman. G. Schirmer Publishers writes: “In the wake of the controversy surrounding Bob Dylan’s Nobel Prize, John’s setting of Dylan lyrics (without a hint of Dylan’s music) may be the ultimate artistic testament to Dylan the poet.” This concert is one of three throughout the NS season celebrating Corigliano, with other concerts to be announced.

Guerilla Science’s Fire Organ

National Sawdust is thrilled to partner with the creative science collective Guerilla Science on October 15 to bring in its custom-built instrument, the Fire Organ, for an afternoon workshop and evening performance, transforming the space into a fiery display that is both dazzling and educational. Described by Guerilla Science as “the ultimate analog sound visualizer,” the Fire Organ uses any kind of sound input – from voices to acoustic instruments to electronics – to show the shape and motion of sound waves through a dance of flames, creating new ways of understanding and experiencing music.

The 2pm workshop will allow the public to directly interact with the Fire Organ. At 7:30pm, Fire Organ Soundscapes will show off its creation in a concert of new work by Ziemba, P. Spadine, and Levy Lorenzo, the culmination of months of work each artist has devoted to exploring the awesome instrument. Ziemba (aka René Kladzyk), known for her otherworldly songs, will sonically activate flames and fragrant scents in a thoroughly synesthetic performance. Spadine, leader of Ashcan Orchestra, works with a passel of literal bells and whistles as well as homemade electronics, developing new methods for flames to drive sounds while sounds in turn drive flames. Percussionist and electronics visionary Lorenzo explores provocative and new ways for humans to use their bodies to make sound, seeing its sonic effects reflected in the fire.

Rebrand of VisionIntoArt, VIA Records, and The Log Journal

Along with boosting the clarity and urgency of its mission with Origins, National Sawdust will consolidate and rebrand its various endeavors under the umbrella of the National Sawdust brand. VisionIntoArt, the organization’s touring arm, will become National Sawdust Productions; VIA Records, the in-house label directed by Jeffrey Zeigler, will be renamed The Sawdust Label; and the Log Journal, the house publication for original music journalism and criticism, will become the National Sawdust Log.

National Sawdust Memberships

The wide range of National Sawdust memberships invites all levels of interest and commitment to participate. The four new categories of membership include Discovery, for the curious newcomer; Prodigy, for access to selected monthly shows; Virtuoso, which provides a wider range of programming choices; and the Maestro level, for dedicated friends of NS. See our Membership page at natsaw.co/memberships for more details.